Ethan Walker
The Pope is the bishop of Rome and the head of the Catholic Church. The current pope is Francis, who was elected in 2013. Pope Francis was born in 1936 and is therefore currently in his late eighties. The average age of the 62 popes elected since 1400 is 62.4 years. The oldest pope at the time of election was Gregory XII, who was 81 when he was elected in 1406. The youngest popes were probably Pope Benedict IX, who became pope between the ages of 11 and 20, and Pope John XII, who was 18 at the beginning of his papacy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current Pope | Francis |
| Date of Birth | 17 December 1936 |
| Age | 86 years |
| Election Date | 13 March 2013 |
| Previous Pope | Benedict XVI |
| Longest-serving Pope | St. Peter (disputed) or Pius IX |
| Shortest-serving Pope | Urban VII |
| Oldest Pope at Time of Election | Gregory XII |
| Average Age of Popes Elected Since 1400 | 62.4 years |
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What You'll Learn
Pope Francis's birth and early life
As of my cut-off date, Pope Francis is 86 years old. He was born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was the eldest of five children. His parents, Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sivori, were both children of Italian immigrants, and their families had strong Catholic roots. Mario worked as an accountant, but his career was impacted by the global economic crisis of the 1930s, which hit Argentina hard. The family lived in the Flores neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, a middle-class area known for its strong European influences.
From an early age, Bergoglio displayed a sense of religious devotion and an interest in the Jesuit order. At the age of 17, he felt a calling to join the priesthood and entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus. This decision was influenced by a chance encounter he had on the day he graduated from secondary school. He stopped into a church and felt a profound spiritual experience that guided his decision to dedicate his life to God.
Bergoglio's early life was marked by simplicity and a commitment to his studies. He completed his early education at the Wilfrid Barón de los Santos Ángeles School and the Escuela Pío IX, both Jesuit institutions in Buenos Aires. He then studied at the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Buenos Aires, before leaving to pursue his religious calling. After joining the Jesuits, he studied humanities in Santiago, Chile, and returned to Buenos Aires to study philosophy at the Colegio Máximo de San José in San Miguel.
During his time in the Jesuit order, Bergoglio faced significant health challenges. He taught literature and psychology at the Colegio de la Inmaculada in Santa Fe, and later served as the Jesuit Provincial of Argentina from 1973 to 1979, a period that coincided with the country's military dictatorship and its 'Dirty War'. After his time as Provincial, he served as rector of the philosophical and theological faculty of San Miguel and as pastor of the Patriarchal Vatican Church in Buenos Aires.
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Pope Francis's career before papacy
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936, was the first pope from the Western Hemisphere, the first from South America, and the first from the Jesuit order. Before his papacy, he had a long and prominent career in the Catholic Church.
Bergoglio became a member of the Society of Jesus in 1958 and was ordained as a priest in 1969. From 1973 to 1979, he served as the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina, essentially the head of the Jesuits in the country. During this time, he was known for his humility and commitment to serving the poor.
In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Bergoglio as the titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires. He received his episcopal ordination from Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who wanted him as a close collaborator. Bergoglio chose the episcopal motto "miserando atque eligendo" and added the symbol of the Society of Jesus, "IHS", to his coat of arms.
Bergoglio's rise through the ecclesiastical ranks continued when, in 1997, he was elevated to the position of Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires. In 1998, upon the death of Cardinal Quarracino, he succeeded him as Archbishop, Primate of Argentina, and Ordinary for Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina. As Archbishop, he was a prominent figure throughout the continent, yet he maintained a simple and ascetic lifestyle, choosing to live in an apartment, cook his own meals, and commute via public transportation.
In 2001, Pope John Paul II created Bergoglio a cardinal. As a cardinal, Bergoglio continued to advocate for the poor and emphasized the importance of mercy and apostolic courage. He participated in the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI and, in 2008, was elected and then reconfirmed as President of the Argentine Bishops' Conference for a three-year mandate.
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Pope Francis's election
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected as Pope on the 13th of March 2013, at the age of 76. He is the first Latin American pope, the first Jesuit pope, and the first pope to choose the name Francis.
The 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis was historic for several reasons. Firstly, it was convened after the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the first Pope to resign in about 600 years. Secondly, the conclave was only the second to take place within a five-year period, with a still-living Pope. Thirdly, the election of a Latin American pope represented a significant shift for the Catholic Church, taking the pontificate away from Italy and Europe and making it more international.
The conclave is an act of supreme secrecy. Vatican City becomes highly regulated, as cardinals are not permitted to communicate with anyone outside the area where the election is taking place, except in cases of urgent necessity. Following the funeral rites and mass for a deceased Pope, the electors process to the Sistine Chapel, where they take an oath of discretion, and close the doors to the public. Electors then vote secretly via ballots that read "in summum pontificem" or "I elect as supreme pontiff".
After Pope Francis was elected, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, asked him if he accepted the title. Pope Francis replied, "Although I am a sinner, I accept." He then chose his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Pope Francis celebrated his inauguration on the 19th of March 2013 and was installed as Bishop of Rome on the 7th of April. On the 29th of June 2013, he published the encyclical Lumen Fidei, which was largely the work of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. On the 24th of November 2013, Pope Francis published his first major letter as Pope, the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, which he described as the programmatic of his papacy.
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Pope Francis's death and succession
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died on 21 April 2025 at the age of 88. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American pope, and the first pope born outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope Gregory III.
Pope Francis's death triggers the centuries-old Catholic ritual of mourning and selecting a new leader of the church. The mourning rites last nine days, with the date of the funeral and burial decided by the cardinals. The funeral Mass is expected to be held in St. Peter's Square, with Pope Francis to be buried in Rome's St. Mary Major Basilica.
During the period known as the "sede vacante" (empty chair), a cardinal known as the camerlengo (chamberlain) runs the ordinary affairs of the Roman Catholic Church. At the time of Pope Francis's death, the camerlengo was Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Farrell. The cameralengo and three assistants chosen from among cardinals under 80 years of age, known as cardinal electors, decide when the pope's body is to be taken into St. Peter's Basilica for the public to pay their respects.
Around 15 to 20 days after Pope Francis's death, the cardinals gather for a conclave to elect a new pope. Pope Francis appointed 108 cardinals, 21 of whom he appointed in 2024. Ten of the 17 cardinals from the U.S. are under 80 and will be able to vote. Once the new pope is elected, they appear and give the crowd their first blessing as pontiff.
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Pope Leo XIV's election and early papacy
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, is the first North American and US-born pope. He is also the first to hold American and Peruvian citizenship and the second pope from the Americas. Prevost was elected pope on May 8, 2025, on the second day of the conclave, on the fourth ballot. White smoke appeared from the Sistine Chapel's chimney, signifying to the public that a pope had been chosen. Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announced Pope Leo XIV to the public for the first time from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica.
Pope Leo XIV's episcopal motto is "In illo Uno unum" ("In the One, we are one"). On the official start of his pontificate, during the inaugural Mass, he requested a united Church, stressing that the two dimensions of the mission of the papacy are "love and unity." He also expressed a desire for unity and communion in the Church and the world and condemned the exploitation of Earth's resources and marginalization of the poor. Pope Leo XIV is known for his impeccable dressing and urged that the liturgy be prepared "in the best way possible."
On May 18, 2025, Pope Leo XIV celebrated the inauguration Mass of his pontificate, formally known as the Mass for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome. The event was attended by around 200,000 people, including world leaders and formal delegations. The Mass included the bestowal of the pallium and Ring of the Fisherman. Pope Leo XIV toured St. Peter's Square in the popemobile for the first time, where attendees shouted, "Viva il Papa!" ("Long live the Pope"), "USA, USA!" and at least one person chanting "White Sox!", referencing his favorite baseball team.
In the days following the inauguration, Pope Leo XIV met with various dignitaries and took possession of the other major basilicas, with ceremonies held at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, formally installing him as the Bishop of Rome.
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Frequently asked questions
Cardinal Robert Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, was 69 when he was elected as the 267th pope of the Catholic Church on 8 May 2025.
Pope Francis, or Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was 76 when he was elected on 13 March 2013. He died on 21 April 2025 at the age of 88.
Pope John XII is believed to have been just 18 years old when he was elected in 955. There is also a case to be made that Pope Benedict IX was 12 during his first reign in 1032.
Pope Gregory XII was 81 when he was elected in November 1406.
